Speedwell (Veronica officinalis)

Perennial plant that develops a creeping stem that gives life year after year. The leaves appear in pairs, facing each other, are oval-shaped and serrated perimeter. From the nodes of these sheets are based roots into the soil and that are conferred to the whole plant looks creeping, of whom only flower clusters emerge.
It takes place in mountainous, mainly in the north of the peninsula, and are more frequent as we approach the Pyrenees. It is most commonly found in forest lands and decalcified thin.

FLOWERING

The flowers, small bluish dimensions, are arranged in clusters can be observed from the month of March, although the timing will vary depending on the height at which the plant is compared to sea level.
The fruit is a small capsule, shaped like an inverted triangle, like the rest of the plant is covered with a light hair.
The collection of the entire plant when flowering is done the same, proceeding after its drying, which can be both the sun or shade.

APPLICATIONS

The plant contains bitter principles that serve as appetizers, making digestion difficult and decreasing the formation of gas after the indigestion. It also contains tannin and is astringent, and applied to wounds and cold sores encourages healing in a short period of time-even those that are complicated by skin ulcers.
It also contains saponins, with a soothing action that is used in asthmatic and bronchitic process.
It is used routinely in cases of anorexia, because it acts as an appetite stimulant and also-though to a lesser extent as cleanser.

ADMINISTRATION

Infusion. Five grams of dried whole plant was added to 250 milliliters of water and boiled, leaving it in contact for twelve minutes. In this preparation can be administered up to three cups a day, which gets a mild appetite-stimulating effect, improving digestion partly heavy and solving some mild cases of asthma and bronchitis. Also used the fresh plant juice is extracted, of which ten grams taken three times a day, the effects are achieved are similar to those above.
Decoction external use. He added forty grams of dried whole plant to a liter of water, maintaining the boiling for ten minutes. With the liquid obtained soaked compresses applied directly on sores, wounds or ulcers.

USES

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